Casket rack for hearses



Feb. 21-, 1939.

CASKET RACK FOR HEARSES Filed March 15, 193? G. LA v. RUNKLE 7 2,148,245

2 Shets-Sheet l Feb. 21, 1939. G. LA v. RUNKLE CASKET RACK FOR HEARSES Filed March 15, 1937 2 Sheets-$heet 2 45 tended position and in Patented Feb. 21, 1939 CASKET RACK FOR HEARSES George La. Verne Runkle, Freeport, 111., assignor to Henney Motor Company,

Freeport, 111., a

corporation of Delaware Application March 15, 1937, Serial No. 130,931 13 Claims. (01. 214-44) This invention relates to a casket rack for hearses.

Some undertakers, particularly in small towns, cannot afford to have a separate service car, and must use their hearses for that purpose. It is the principal object of my invention to provide a removable casket rack for the floor of the hearse made of light skeleton construction and preferably in two sections so as to permit easy handling in the removal and reinstallation thereof, said rack being designed for fastening to the floor of the hearse in such a manner that when it is removed the floor is entirely cleared of all obstructions and ready for any kindof use. I

Another object is to provide an extensible casket rack having a novel extension section extensible from the main section to reach over the beaver-tail extension of the hearse body, such as is provided on the latest designs of hearses. The extension section being built into the rack this way, is quickly and easily removable therewith, and the door opening is clear of any obstructions when the rack is removed.

A further object consists in the provision of an extension rack section comprising a frame having a sliding telescoping fit in the side members of the tubular frame of the main section, the frame for the extension section being arranged to its retracted position. A feature in this connection is the provision of rubber bumpers arranged to be compressed by abutment with the extension section when the latter is moved to retracted position, whereby to place the parts under tension and avoid the likelihood of rattling when the hearse is in motion.

The invention is described in detail in the following description wherein reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a horizontalsection through the 40 body of a hearse showing the extensible casket rack of my invention in plan;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view ona larger scale of the rear left corner of the rack showing the extension section in full lines in the exdotted lines in retracted position;

Fig. 3 is a of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional detail on the line 4-4 of 50 Fig. 1, on the same scale as Figs. 2 and 3, and

Fig. 5 is a section similar to Fig. 4, showing another construction.

The same reference numerals are applied to corresponding parts throughout the views.

The reference numeral 5 designates the body longitudinal section on the line 33 when the casket has of 'a hearse having opposed side doors 6 and 1 affording access to the space, and a rear doo permits the loading or endwise. The extensib front end of the casket r 8 which when opened unloading of the casket le casket rack of my invention is indicated generally by the reference numeral 9 and its main rectangular frames or placed end to end on the section is made up of two sub-sections 10 and 1 1 floor 12 of the hearse and arranged to be suitably secured in place by wing-headed screws 13 passed through lugs 14 on threaded in holes provided by nuts set in the floor Two screws, one on each the two frames and therefor in the floor, as

flush with the surface.

side of each frame, are sufficient to hold the same.

The two rack frames are of skeleton form,

the frame 16 having wooden side rails 15 joined by wooden cross-pieces having metal tubular wooden cross-rails make the frames light and 21.

16-18, and the frame 11 side rails 19 joined by The object is to enough so that they can be handled and carried easily. Dowels 22 fastened to the ends of the rails 15 fit in the ends of the rails 19 for alignment of the two frames. The

cross-pieces 16.48, "263, mounted thereon in pai erabl'y of rubber so that and 2t have rollers 23 rs, and these are all prefthe casket will roll thereon smoothly and silently and without danger of slipping sideways. floor l2, two on each top surfaces thereof mainly as guides for unloading. These pins in contact with the the rubber rollers 23 Socket plates side of the rack 9, have the flush with the floor surface and are arranged to receive 24 set in the bier pins 25 to serve the casket in loading and will not ordinarily come sides of the casket because will not permit side slippage.

Another socket plate 25 is provided in the floor 12 in forwardly spaced relation to the front end of the rack 9 to receive another bier pin 25 to limit forward movement of the casket in loading. In the case of smaller caskets, the front pin 25 may be inserted in either of the socket plates El and 28 provided 1?. the cross-members member 30 extending of the frame 11.

on the cross-pieces 16 and An elongatedsocket plate 29 is mounted on 20 and 21 and a connecting ngitudinally at the middle This plate has a number of sockets provided therein in longitudinally spaced relation to receive a casket in whichever bier pin placed behind the hole is closest to the casket been moved all the way in.

This last pin must of course be removed before the casket can be unloaded, and an additional socket plate 31 is provi alongside the rack at ded therefor on the floor the rear end thereof, as

shown. It should more, the rack entirely clear, assumin are also removed.

quickly converted into a is of convertible design.

The hearse illustrated is of the type having a on the rear end thereof the rear bumper 33 (Fig. In accordance with my invention the rack having an extension secarranged to be moved to a position reaching over the beaver tail extension 32 beaver-tail extension 32 terminating in front of 3). 9 is of extensible form, tion 9 sate therefor. has rollers 34 rotatably mounted on 35 thereof.

The latter is carried on be clear from the description thus far that I have provided a casket rack which can be easily removed and replaced and, being sectional and of light skeleton construction, can be handled entirely by one man easily. Furtherwhen removed leaves the floor |2 g that the bier pins 25 Thus the hearse can be service car, yet changed back into a hearse without it being at all apparent to the uninitiated that the same to compen- The frame H of this extension the cross-bar a pair of side rails 36 slidably mounted on the rear frame ll of the main section with a telescoping fit in the side rails l9. Latch pins 31 reeiprocable in transverse guides 38 on the inner side of the side rails I! are normally moved outwardly under the action of compression s 'abutments 40 on the cross-piece 2| prings 39 inserted between and the ends of the latch pins, as shown in Fig. 2, whereby to enter said pins in holes 4| provided therefor in the side rails 36 and accordingly rails 36 against endwise movemen rails.

outer ends in the latch pins 31 are lock the side t in the side Flexible wires 42 passed through the abutments 40 and springs 39 and secured at their connected at their opposite ends to the intermediate portions of levers 43, projecting from the cross-piece 2| and pivoted at their as at 44 in the middle mem ferred to. by simply Thus the latch pins ma pressing the ends of the back of the foward ends ber 30 previously rey be released levers 43 together between the thumb and index finger of one hand, whereupon the extension section can be slid in one direction or the other relative to the main section. When this exte nsion section is pulled out to reach over the beaver-tail extension 32 of the hearse, as in Figs.

2 and 3, the

pins 31, upon coming into register with the holes 4|, springs 39 and lock the extension se will enter these holes under pressure of the ction against movement in either direction. These latch pins have to be released fore the extension section can retracted position shown in lines in Fig. 2.

released, the ex wardly until screws 45, adjustably the inner ends of the sid as previously described, be-

be returned to the Fig. 1 and in dotted Once the latch pins have been tension section can he slid inmounted on e rails 36, come into abutment with the dowels 22, as in Fig. 4, at

which time the holes 4| in the side register with the latch pins section will be accordingly locked by pins in the holes under spring pressure.

45 are so adjusted that a slight comp sion of the dowels 22 must occur before the screws 4| are in register with the the pins 31 enter the holes 4| rails 36 will 31 and the extension entry of the The resholes pins 31. Hence, when the parts are kept under tension as a result of the expansive force of the dowels of any play b 22, and there is therefore no danger etween the parts which might give rise to rattling when the hearse is in motion.

Furthermore, the dowel by acting as bumpers. Lock nuts screws 45 serve, when tightened agai s 22 silence the operation 46 on the nst the ends of the side rails 36, to hol position.

The rubber bumper 41, shown in Fig. 5, is mounted directly in the front end of the tubular side rail I9 of the rear main section of the rack 9, instead of being provided in the form of a dowel on the side rail of the front main rack section. These bumpers can be fastened in place in the front ends of the two side rails IS in any suitable manner as by means of a flat head screw 48 inserted in a countersunk portion 49 in the wall of the rail near the front end thereof. With this construction, the operation is the same so far as silencing the impact of the extension section and eliminating rattling thereof when locked in its forward position is concerned. I have found that the advantage in having the rear main rack section a self-contained unit like this over balances what advantage there was in having the front and rear main rack sections doweled together in the manner previously described.

With either construction, it is apparent that my novel, extensible rack has many important practical advantages, its principal one being that the whole assembly is so light and compact and easy to install or remove. Also, when it is removed, the entire floor, as well as the door sill, are cleared of obstructions and practically the same as the floor of a service car, and useful in the same way. 30

It is believed the foregoing description conveys a good understanding of the objects and advantages of my invention. The appended claims have been drawn with a view to covering all legitimate modifications and adaptations.

I claim:

1. In a hears d the screws in adjusted e, a removable casket rack for the floor of the hearse comprising separable recular, skeleton frame sections, each comprising longitudinal side rails and connecting crosspieces, means for detachably securing each of said frame sections to the hearse floor with the ends of the side rails of said sections in abutting relation, and casket supporting anti-friction rollers mounted on said cross-pieces so as to be removable from the hearse with the rack.

2. In a hearse, a removable casket rack for the floor of the hearse comprising two separable rectangular skeleton frame sections which when placed end to end approximate the length of a large sized casket, the sections being approximately of the same length and both of light weight construction, said sections having longitudinal side members joined by cross-members, casket supporting anti-friction rollers on said cross-members, and an extension rack section comprising side members slidably supported on the side members of the rear one of said first sections and a cross-member supported on the side members for movement outwardly from the end of the rack, the cross-member providing an outboard casket support in the same plane with said rollers on said rack.

3. A sectional casket rack for hearses comprising two sections each having side rails, and crossmembers carrying casket supporting rollers, the side rails on at least one of said sections being hollow to provide guides therein, cushioning bumpers in the guides, a third set of side rails slidable in said guides into abutment with said bumpers, and a roller carrying support carried on said last named side rails.

4. A sectional casket rack for hearses comprising two sections each having side rails, and crossmembers carrying casket supporting rollers, the l side rails on at least one of said sections being hollow to provide'guides therein, dowels on the ends of the side rails of the other section arranged to be entered in the ends of the other side rails to detachably connect said sections in aligned relation, the ends of said dowels being constructed to serve as cushioning bumpers, a third set of side rails slidable in said guides into abutment with the ends of said dowels, and a roller carrying support carried on said last named side rails.

5. A sectional casket rack for hearses comprising two separable sections each having side rails, and cross-members carrying casket supporting rollers, the side rails on at least one of said sections being hollow to provide guides therein, cushioning bumpers in said guides, a third set of side rails slidable in said guides into abutment with said bumpers, a roller carrying support carried on said last named side rails, and means for releasably securing said third named side rails in adjusted position in said guides, comprising a spring-pressed latch pin on one of said hollow side rails in transverse relation thereto, and a latch pin hole provided in the rail slidable in said hollow rail, arranged to register with the pin only when the related bumper is compressed to a predetermined degree, for the purpose described.

6. A device as set forth in claim 5, including an adjustable screw on the end of the inner rail arranged to compress the bumper more or less in the locked retracted position of the extensible side rails, according to the screws adjustment.

7. A device as set forth in claim 5, including an adjustable screw on the end of the inner rail arranged to compress the bumper more or less in the locked retracted position of the extensible side rails, according to the screws adjustment, and a lock nut on said screw for securing it in adjusted condition.

8. A casket rack for hearses comprising side rails, and casket supporting rollers on said rack, the side rails having guides thereon, an extensible rack section comprising side rails slidable in said guides, said section carrying one or more casket supporting rollers in substantially the same horiozntal plane with the aforesaid rollers, compressible bumpers in said guides arranged to be compressed by the ends of the side rails of said extensible section, and means for releasably locking said section in retracted position relative to said rack, with the bumpers compressed a predetermined extent.

9. A casket rack for hearses comprising side rails, and casket supporting rollers on said rack, the side rails having guides thereon, an extensible rack section comprising side rails slidable in said guides, said section carrying one or more casket supporting rollers in substantially the same horizontal plane with the aforesaid rollers, compressible bumpers in said guides arranged to be compressed by the ends of the side rails of said extensible section, and means for releasably securing said side rails in adjusted position in said guides, comprising a springrpr'essed latch pin in transverse relation to one of said guides, and a latch pin hole provided in the rail slidable in said guide, arranged to register with the pin only when the bumpers are compressed to a predetermined degree, for the purpose described.

10. A device as set forth in claim 9, including adjustable screws on the ends of the side rails of said extensible section arranged to compress said bumpers more or less in the locked retracted position of said extensible support, according to the adjustment of said screws.

11. A device as set forth in claim 9, including adjustable screws on the ends of the side rails of said extensible section arranged to compress said bumpers more or less in the locked retracted position of said extensible support, according to the adjustment of said screws, and lock nuts on said screws holding the same in adjusted condition.

12. In a hearse comprising a floor, a removable casket rack for the floor of the hearsecomprising two separable rack sections each in the form of a rectangular frame made of light weight skeleton construction to facilitate carrying the same when removed, each frame section having cross-members, and casket supporting anti-friction rollers mounted on said cross-members so as to be removable from the hearse with the rack sections, means for detachably connecting adjoining ends of said sections to form a casket rack of approximately the length of a large sized casket, and means for detachably securing each of said rack sections to the floor of the hearse.

13. In a hearse, a removable casket rack for the floor of the hearse comprising two separable front and rear skeleton frame sections, each comprising laterally spaced, parallel longitudinal side rails and cross-members on each section rigidly connecting the side rails thereof together, said sections being adapted to support casket supporting rollers, means on the ends of said side rails for detachably interconnecting said sections in longitudinal operative alignment with one another, and a single means in connection with each of said side rails for detachably securing the frame sections to the floor of a hearse.

GEORGE LA VERNE RUNKLE. 

